The first wave of installation of plastic windows has long passed and now users are trying not only to replace wooden frames with PVC profiles, but also pay great attention to thermal insulation and the suitability of window designs for specific conditions. This is very important in view of the longevity of the purchase, and the mistakes made at the same time can sometimes not be fixed. There are more than 12 criteria for assessing the quality of plastic windows and an understanding of these factors will make it possible to buy products for 50-60 years, which will preserve comfort and comfort both in summer and in winter.
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The best manufacturers of plastic windows - which company to choose
For a long time, the leading manufacturers of plastic windows from European and Asian countries compete in the construction market.
If there is not much time to delve into all the differences of similar products, then you can buy a quality product from one of the proven companies:
- KBE;
- Rehau;
- LG Chem;
- Veka;
- Schuko.
But given the large variety of technical characteristics and price run depending on the device windows, it is worth studying rating of the best manufacturers of plastic windowsto understand the suitability of the product for certain conditions.
For demanding customers, detailed information about the device and plastic window selection options is provided below.
The principle of operation and the device of plastic windows
The plastic window reliably protects the room from the penetration of cold or heat because it has in its design a chamber structure with hermetically stored gas. This allows minimizing heat transfer and creating a clear climatic boundary.
Still similar products are well insulated from various sounds from the outside, which was undoubtedly appreciated by the residents of the first floors, whose windows overlook a shop at the entrance. Perfectly protect PVC windows from the penetration of dust into the apartment, since they do not have wide gaps and airflow.
Plastic structures have proven to be reliable in the case of vandal burglary, because they have a multi-level profile structure and reinforced with reinforced inserts. They are also convenient from a practical point of view: they do not need to be stuck for the winter and peeled off in the spring, they do not swell during the rainy season and do not shrink in the summer.
To open the sash is easy enough to turn the handle. Various clamps are provided to prevent flapping, and the function of ventilation and micro-ventilation allows you to regulate the flow of fresh air from the street.
For the arrangement of convenience and comfort with the use of plastic windows created a lot of extras. To prevent flies from entering, there are fine meshes with a frame that can be ordered to fit any window size. Their installation takes place on four clamps and metal screws.
For protection from the sun's rays indoors beautiful blinds with vertical or horizontal thin strips are installed.
Developers have spent a lot of time to produce the construction of a plastic window, which is available today.
The structure of plastic windows includes the following elements:
1. Frame - creates the external dimensions of the window and contains mounting holes to the opening. It is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and has several internal compartments with partitions to preserve light weight and sufficient rigidity. Corners are joined by welding, and reinforcement is fastened with screws.
2. Sash - divide the construction area into several parts and allow you to open part of the product for washing or ventilation. Made of PVC with reinforced inserts.
3. Double-glazed windows - represent the chamber structure with glass walls and hermetic air space between them. There is from 1 to 3 cameras.
4. Accessories - hinges and handles for opening the sash and protecting against vandal burglary. Locks are most often made in the form of a continuous strip, pushing the bolts at three points.
5. Shtapik - the fixing element from a plastic strip for pressing a double-glazed window from the inside of the room.
6. Sealant - a layer of soft material, glued to the perimeter of the opening sash. It is designed to protect against penetration of drafts or raindrops.
7. Impost - partitions that divide the structure into several parts. Proper location of the dividers gives additional rigidity to the product and prolongs the service life without distortions and cracks.
Plastic window selection options
Despite the great popularity of plastic windows, the decision to install them can either create coziness and a pleasant temperature regime, or become a test of patience due to constant sweating, cold, and poorly opening doors.
To make the choice of this durable product, it is necessary to correctly understand the key parameters of this product.
Availability of warranty and certificates
Even before a detailed conversation with a consultant to determine the size and internal structure of windows, one should make sure that the relevant certificates for the installed products are available.
Modern plastic windows from proven manufacturers are necessarily accompanied by ISO 9001 documents, which indicates the safety of the materials used and high quality.
The second factor is a temporary guarantee, which is provided by the firm-seller. Good windows can last up to 60 years, but from time to time they will need to be adjusted and replaced with small details.
The new product should work smoothly for more than five years since all components are in excellent condition. If the firm-seller provides a guarantee of less than five years, then this is a "bell" about lowered performance and savings in quality.
Profile frame depth
This parameter is measured from the inner wall of the plastic window to the outer wall at the widest point of the structure.
1. The standard size is 58 mm. This is the optimum figure for most installation sites (schools, hospitals, private housing).
2. Deeper frames with a rating of 70-90 mm are referred to as reinforced models and are intended for cold regions with low negative temperatures.
3. Profile depth of 104 mm refers to the largest and is installed only in specialized institutions (polar stations, towers at airports).
Profile class
The parameter is written in the documentation and denoted by the letters A and B.
1. Class A means the thickness of the plastic wall facing the street from 2.8 mm, and on the side of the room this layer will be 2.5 mm.
2. Class B has a material thickness of 2.5 mm and 2.0 mm at appropriate locations. These parameters partially affect the insulation properties of the structure.
- If you need to install windows for private housing, then you need to look for a profile of class A.
- For outbuildings (garage, store, balcony) is enough class B.
To know the thickness of PVC visually does not work, so you need to carefully check the accompanying documentation. Here it is worth being careful not to be tempted by the cheaper cost of Profile B and the assurances of sellers of an insignificant difference of a few tenths of a millimeter.
The total thickness of the glass
The glass unit is a wall of glass with an air gap that does not have communication with the external environment. The size is indicated in the specifications and does not depend on the number of internal glass partitions. It protects against temperature exchange.
The greater the distance between the panes, the thicker the protective layer that will resist cold and heat, as well as extraneous sounds (as is the case with the thickness of ordinary walls in the house).
1. The minimum parameter is a thickness of 14 mm, the subsequent values are 16-28 mm. Such double-glazed windows are only suitable for use in non-residential premises (gazebo, garage, summer kitchen).
2. For apartments, offices and houses it is worth looking for double-glazed windows from 32 to 44 mm.
View of glass
1. The most affordable option is ordinary glass well transmitting the sun's rays. They are bought for inexpensive repairs designed to refresh the type of premises, but which does not take large sums from the budget.
2. For increased heat retention in private houses and apartments, energy-saving types with a special silver coating on their surface are used. This does not interfere with transparency, but allows you to maintain the temperature a few degrees higher than conventional glass.
3. For housing and offices along the road it is worth buying noise protection glasses called triplex. This will allow you to live and work in a quieter atmosphere.
4. Where there is an increased risk of vandal burglary (shops, stalls, dangerous areas), installation of windows with impact-resistant triplex glass and a high class of shock protection is recommended.
5. For homes and offices on the sunny side, sun protection with tinted coating and Solar coating will be optimal.
The thickness of the glass itself
Another parameter on which the insulating and shockproof properties depend is the thickness of the glass to be installed. Here an important role is played by the heterogeneity of materials.
1. For non-residential premises, two elements of 4 mm each are sufficient.
2. For an apartment in a sleeping area, an outer glass of 8 mm, an average of 4 mm, and an inner glass of 4 mm will be optimal.
3. On a noisy street, it is worth using parameters of 8-6-4 mm.
The number of cameras in the glass unit, their type and filling
A large role in isolation from sound and cold is played by the number of cameras inside the glass unit. The air gap between the two glasses is one camera.
There are two-and three-chamber models. Regardless of the width of the glass unit, the number of cameras complements the number of thermal boundaries and increases the comfort in the room.
You can calculate the presence of internal glass partitions with a naked eye by placing a lit match or a lighter to the window - you will see how many reflections of fire, as many glasses in the device. Three lights will mean a two-chamber model.
An important role is played by the distance between the glasses themselves in each individual chamber.
1. From 6 to 16 mm - this is a changing indicator with the growth of which improves the insulation characteristics.
2. Over 24 mm - does not bear the key load and the growth of positive properties stops.
The chambers themselves can be filled with normal air or argon. The latter significantly increases the insulation due to its density, which complicates the heat exchange processes.
1. Single chamber packages are suitable only for gazebos and balconies.
2. In warm regions, two-chamber windows with a 6-8 mm distance of each section are sufficient.
3. For a cold climate, three-chamber models with a distance of 8–16 mm and filling with argon will be required.
Number of cameras in the profile
The internal structure in a plastic frame consists of compartments. These cavities are also called chambers and are responsible for the rigidity of the structure and thermal insulation properties.
1. The most common are the three-chamber profile, which is best suited for a sleeping area or non-residential premises.
2. In the central part of the city, it is better to purchase frames with 5 cameras in plastic.
3. For buildings near factories or stations, the best design will be with 8 cavities in the profile.
The number of vertical and horizontal blocks
The area of the window can only have a frame around the perimeter, and the rest of the surface consists of a glass component. Such windows are called solid and are suitable for small openings 1200x1500 mm.As the area increases, it is necessary to strengthen the structure by adding an impost.
These dividers help to keep the glass packs and maintain the correct geometry of the entire window. The number of partitions can vary from one to three vertically, and one or two horizontally.
The combination of all types of dividers in one frame is especially important in large window openings for gyms and swimming pools.
In the case of the arched version of the frame for the cottages, the impost helps to distribute the load from the upper edge of the opening and allows you to keep the correct shape for a long time without distortions. Small round and triangular windows in attics and basements do not need dividers.
The number of opening sashes
1. Solid "deaf" windows can be used only in areas where there is an additional ventilation system (exhaust hood, air conditioning with external air supply). But there is a difficulty in how to wash such windows - from the ground on the stairs or hire a lifting machine, or a special service with a cable platform.
2. In most apartments it is profitable to install windows with at least one opening sash, which will allow to ventilate the room and clean the glass in the spring.
3. In the kitchen and bath, it is practical to take a structure with an opening function for ventilation (only the upper edge of the flap opens).
4. For the hall and bedroom, you can take a simple loop on the full opening. If the area of the window is divided by two imposts, then it is reasonable to position the opening part in the middle.
Compactor
That the wind and moisture did not penetrate through the opening of the window around the perimeter of the sash is attached seal.
1. The most affordable option is a hollow rubber, which is well pressed against the frame and blocks the way to precipitation and drafts. But its service life is 5-7 years, after which it coarsens and begins to pass moisture.
2. More prolonged types of seal will be rubber or silicone. Such materials will last about 10 years and will not be deformed by high temperatures or extreme cold.
Anti-burglary system
Due to the thick glass and durable plastic, thieves try to open the sash by vandal breaking, pressing and inserting metal parts into the opening.
In order to withstand such pressure, manufacturers supply windows with mushroom pins and pressure plates. This completely blocks the sash, not only for squeezing, but also for shifting to the side, since the cap of the fungus is firmly fixed in the socket and does not allow to move anywhere.
Buying windows with additional protection is worth residents of the first and second floors, as well as shopping. For apartment buildings, this factor can be saved.
What plastic windows to choose
1. For a kitchen or a bath, a design with an opening flap for all types of ventilation, two chambers with gas and a profile of 58 mm is necessary. The distance between the panes can be chosen 8 and 16 mm.
2. In the hall and bedroom in a noisy area it is worth looking for products with triplex glass, two cameras with argon and a five-chamber profile of class A. Sash can be opened only for full plowing. But the obligatory anti-mask mesh and silicone gasket.
3. The three-dimensional structures with two-three imposts, several opening doors, a three-chamber double-glazed window and a Solar coating will be practical for the cottage. The thickness of the glasses themselves is desirable 8-6-4 mm. Rubber will be suitable as a sealant.
4. For the attic and basement there are “deaf” windows (triangular, round) with one chamber and a profile B of three cavities in the composition, with ordinary glass with a distance of 16 mm and a rubber sealant. The same type will suit the balcony, but it is necessary to order the opening of several doors.
How much are plastic windows
The final amount of repair for replacement of windows depends on the number of openings and their area. PVC products with double-glazed windows are sold per square meter and the cost is calculated that way.
For the above categories of premises, windows will cost at the following price:
1. For the kitchen and bathroom from 6500 to 7500 rub / m2.
2. For the hall and bedroom 7000-8000 rub / m2.
3. In the cottage 9000-17000 rub / m2.
4. On the balcony or attic 6000-6800 rubles / m2.
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